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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · branch · cell · chair · craft · cap · rest · key

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. key — in music
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. branch — a division
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cap — a lid
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rest — what's left
  12. key — for a lock
  13. chair — a leader
  14. key — the most important part
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cell — in biology
  19. craft — boats
  20. rest — a break
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. craft — a skill
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com